Teacher Dreamaurora - Piano Q&A

[metz]

phankao:

Haha - wah, cannot resist - 5.5hrs old and he start learning piano already, ah?

Actually I'm not exactly referring to this style either. Nevermind, too difficult to explain. Generally most teachers when approached to teach a 2year old or 3year old are rarely strict, especially if they see that the child has progressed and done everything instructed in the previous lesson and during the lesson.

Thanks to iPad auto correcting mechanism, I nearly misled others into thinking I had a piano prodigy.

I can't comment on 2-3 years old cos my children still playing with toys at that age. My gal started around 3.5 years old. The same violin teacher was more lenient with her than my son. Don't know if it was because of gender or age.

[phankao]

chamonix:

I can't comment on 2-3 years old cos my children still playing with toys at that age. My gal started around 3.5 years old. The same violin teacher was more lenient with her than my son. Don't know if it was because of gender or age.

LOL - I asked my son the other day if he remembered starting piano lessons at 3years old, then he frowned and said he was 2. HAHA. Only a month difference also he can remember.

Re your violin tr being lenient, I think he at least knows which is appropriate teaching style for which age group. My son may be just 3.5yo, but he did already have lesson with 1 teacher in a famous studio. Very nice teacher but the lesson was totally boring. My dear son with a non-brandname teacher is enjoying his lessons and so far effective. So I believe what we experience lah. Same with piano. The teacher again, not brand-name, but the style just *clicked* from the 1st trial lesson. The relief teacher we tried really just didn't *click* with my son. Totally devoid of humour too despite her \"smiles\". So once again, there are many types of \"nice\" teachers, and nice teachers can be effective.

Are strict teachers \"nice\"? Well, they can be too! Just not strict until they keep scolding and getting frustrated I hope! That'd not be so good and would only be suitable for older kids. My elder boy was and still is with a rather uptight teacher, but very effective. Also my boy being at that time already 10 - very \"kuai\" in his studio, so the teacher could still \"tahan\" him. *HAHA*. But that teacher was a perfectionist, and probably effective as a result. I never recommend this teacher to teacher those young ones. It'd be a horror. The teacher himself also wouldn't accept.

[metz]

phankao:

LOL - I asked my son the other day if he remembered starting piano lessons at 3years old, then he frowned and said he was 2. HAHA. Only a month difference also he can remember.

Re your violin tr being lenient, I think he at least knows which is appropriate teaching style for which age group. My son may be just 3.5yo, but he did already have lesson with 1 teacher in a famous studio. Very nice teacher but the lesson was totally boring. My dear son with a non-brandname teacher is enjoying his lessons and so far effective. So I believe what we experience lah. Same with piano. The teacher again, not brand-name, but the style just *clicked* from the 1st trial lesson. The relief teacher we tried really just didn't *click* with my son. Totally devoid of humour too despite her \"smiles\". So once again, there are many types of \"nice\" teachers, and nice teachers can be effective.

Are strict teachers \"nice\"? Well, they can be too! Just not strict until they keep scolding and getting frustrated I hope! That'd not be so good and would only be suitable for older kids. My elder boy was and still is with a rather uptight teacher, but very effective. Also my boy being at that time already 10 - very \"kuai\" in his studio, so the teacher could still \"tahan\" him. *HAHA*. But that teacher was a perfectionist, and probably effective as a result. I never recommend this teacher to teacher those young ones. It'd be a horror. The teacher himself also wouldn't accept.

Your son is so smart. Don't think mine remember how long they have been learning the instruments. They probably think it has been a long time but in fact, only about 2+ years on piano (excluding all the breaks and holidays).

PS: Oops, I take back my words. My daughter remembers when she started learning piano

To be more precise, I think my children like teachers who are strict with expectations yet encouraging. The violin teacher was pretty nice to him, very encouraging at times. That's the reason why he didn't to change teacher despite the scoldings. Anyway, the reason why he got scolded was because mommy never made him work hard loh.

[metz]

phankao:

Re your violin tr being lenient, I think he at least knows which is appropriate teaching style for which age group. My son may be just 3.5yo, but he did already have lesson with 1 teacher in a famous studio. Very nice teacher but the lesson was totally boring. My dear son with a non-brandname teacher is enjoying his lessons and so far effective. So I believe what we experience lah. Same with piano. The teacher again, not brand-name, but the style just *clicked* from the 1st trial lesson. The relief teacher we tried really just didn't *click* with my son. Totally devoid of humour too despite her \"smiles\". So once again, there are many types of \"nice\" teachers, and nice teachers can be effective.

Are strict teachers \"nice\"? Well, they can be too! Just not strict until they keep scolding and getting frustrated I hope! That'd not be so good and would only be suitable for older kids. My elder boy was and still is with a rather uptight teacher, but very effective. Also my boy being at that time already 10 - very \"kuai\" in his studio, so the teacher could still \"tahan\" him. *HAHA*. But that teacher was a perfectionist, and probably effective as a result. I never recommend this teacher to teacher those young ones. It'd be a horror. The teacher himself also wouldn't accept.

Btw, would you take your child's current teacher's advice to change teacher for your kids? Not long ago, my children's teacher recommended me to send my children to another teacher who can do more for them. I am still very hesitant about it.

[phankao]

chamonix:

Btw, would you take your child's current teacher's advice to change teacher for your kids? Not long ago, my children's teacher recommended me to send my children to another teacher who can do more for them. I am still very hesitant about it.

If you understand the reason for it, then it should be ok. Eg. the teacher thinks your child would benefit more from another teacher? Like for my no.3, he already has his next teacher lined up for him, but only after completing his dip. haha.

[metz]

phankao:

chamonix:

Btw, would you take your child's current teacher's advice to change teacher for your kids? Not long ago, my children's teacher recommended me to send my children to another teacher who can do more for them. I am still very hesitant about it.

If you understand the reason for it, then it should be ok. Eg. the teacher thinks your child would benefit more from another teacher? Like for my no.3, he already has his next teacher lined up for him, but only after completing his dip. haha.

Going for degree? Wow, congratulations! (not to you lah, to your son)

[phankao]

chamonix:

phankao:

[quote=\"chamonix\"]
Btw, would you take your child's current teacher's advice to change teacher for your kids? Not long ago, my children's teacher recommended me to send my children to another teacher who can do more for them. I am still very hesitant about it.

If you understand the reason for it, then it should be ok. Eg. the teacher thinks your child would benefit more from another teacher? Like for my no.3, he already has his next teacher lined up for him, but only after completing his dip. haha.

Going for degree? Wow, congratulations! (not to you lah, to your son)[/quote]No, No. Just continued private lessons lah. He's only in Sec 1 now.

[Dreamaurora]

Being nice and strict is a balancing act that is hard to master as a teacher. Too much of either one will not be healthy for the students. Anyway, I say to my students that even though I expect high standards from my students, I make it clear to them that I value progress, not results. Of course for those with potential I expect a lot more progress lar.

[sacredmusicals]

Dreamaurora:

Being nice and strict is a balancing act that is hard to master as a teacher. Too much of either one will not be healthy for the students. Anyway, I say to my students that even though I expect high standards from my students, I make it clear to them that I value progress, not results. Of course for those with potential I expect a lot more progress lar.

Now that we are on this subject, there is something i always wanted to ask you. I truly appreciate your advices on teaching and I have to say I benefited from them. However i am still puzzled at some things you have done. From your postings you seem to be one who values motivation and love of music in your students, yet on one hand it seems like you are concerned with results also. I am referring of course to your first postings in which you asked about people opinion on 6 year olds getting grade 5 distinctions, which later was revealed to be your students. I also recall that you said that you would have no qualms about parading your students achievements. As you can see, this makes my opinion of you kind of a paradox. So if you don't mind, would you clarify your current stand and philosophy in teaching? And oh yeah, sorry to trouble you, you have not posted the answer to my last question

[kathyh]

I think under this topic we should keep on the track of explaining / discussing the technical questions. Regarding the attitude or the motivation, i think it is diverse among children. Some children do not need motivation at all, they love to play piano and music from their bottom of heart, probably was cultivated by parents. Some are not so need some discipline. Scolding might work for some children but also might not work at all for others. I believe the person who understands the kids most is their parent. And it is really not necessary to ask about which teaching way is suitable from teachers.